Resealable valves have been used with medical devices where, for some reason, it is necessry or desirable to add or remove fluid to or from such a device. For example, such valves have been commonly used on inflatable mammary implants in order to inflate the implants to the desired size after they have been implanted through relatively small incisions.
Representative of prior art resealable valves are those shown and described in the Sanders et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,724 and the Boone U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,718. Both of the patented valves have shells which are made by hand casting and then filled with a viscous or free-flowing silicone gel.